


Father's Day

by ravenswritingdesk



Category: Bloodlines Series - Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Father's Day, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 14:47:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20819066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenswritingdesk/pseuds/ravenswritingdesk





	Father's Day

_Dreams, dreams. I walk them; I live them. I delude myself with them. It's a wonder I can spot reality, anymore._

Adrian had said this once before to Rose, and the weight of his words were starting to dawn on him. He'd lived nearly a quarter of his life spiraling away in a drunken haze to keep the annoying spirit darkness away. 

While the darkness wasn't _gone_ completely, the medication he took to subdue his magic had made him stable. He used to just take each day as it came, drowning himself in his self-pity and "self-medicating" in a concoction of booze and sex, all wrapped up and tied in a pompous "better than you" bow. 

Now, Adrian was _thriving_. Living wasn't the word; living was just something you did, really. While he didn't live at Court anymore, he had a nice house in a nice town with a beautiful wife and a precious being of a son. 

It didn't feel _real_ to him, but he'd waltzed his way through enough dreams to know what was real and what was not. _Sydney_ was real. _Declan_ was real. Hell, even _Hopper_, their cute little demon-dragon guardian, was real. 

He was sitting on the sofa, staring off into space. A gentle hand on his shoulder knocked him out of his momentary daze. "Adrian?" he heard Sydney ask. Blinking, he turned his head to see her standing there. 

The golden lily tattoo that once stood out so much on her cheek had faded significantly, though it was still visible. Most days she'd cover it up with concealer so people wouldn't ask questions. 

"Mm?" he hummed lazily, deep green eyes drifting up to meet hers. "I'm fine, I promise. Just lost in Adrian-Land, is all." 

"Declan has something for you," she said with a smile. 

His own face twisted into a radiant smile and he perked up. "Does he now?" Sydney's hand lowered to him, which he took to pull himself up into a standing position. "Where's my little man, then?" 

"Close your eyes," she smiled. 

Declan was no longer just a baby. He was a toddler now, and a high-energy one, at that. Adrian complied and closed his eyes, allowing Sydney to pull him to the kitchen. She stopped him before he reached the counter, and he could feel her arms wrapping around his waist in a hug from the side before feeling another set of tiny arms throw themselves around his neck. 

"Daddy!" 

He assumed that was his cue to open his eyes again, and he did. Declan was clinging to him, and Adrian's own arms squeezed him into a hug. "Hey you, little rascal," he laughed, pressing a kiss to the crown of Declan's head. 

Declan pulled a piece of paper that was laid face-down on the counter, and flipped it to present a picture he'd drawn of their small family. On the counter was also a plate of cookies and three cherry slushes. His eyes drifted back to Sydney in a knowing smirk. 

"Let me get a look at this, then..." he said, squeezing Declan one last time before sitting him on the counter. Sydney let Adrian go to instead take Declan. "Aw, buddy... This is adorable! You got my good side, too. Not gonna lie, I'm a bit envious of the jawline." 

Sydney was trying her hardest to not burst out laughing and instead hid her face in Declan's shoulder, though Adrian could hear her silently giggling. 

Turning to hug them both, Adrian's lips pressed to Sydney and Declan's foreheads. "I love you two. So much. More than anything." 

"Happy Father's Day, Adrian," he heard Sydney murmur, her pretty brown eyes flickering up to him. "We love you, too."


End file.
